


with my bestfriend

by crutchiebytheway



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Coming Out, Gen, Growing Up, Katherine is a good friend, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 04:02:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9054592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crutchiebytheway/pseuds/crutchiebytheway
Summary: Living up to your parent's expectations isn't easy.





	

The babies lay napping in the center of the room, in the middle of their parents' watchful gazes. Their eyes were squeezed shut, and the adults fought to keep their volume low, as little Katherine would stir at any loud noise. 

"They're bound to be such good friends," Millicent Hearst commented. She rubbed her stomach thoughtfully. "I only hope that mine won't be left behind!" 

"Of course not," Joseph reassured her, eyeing his own Katherine thoughtfully. "Though I do hope you're right about these two becoming friends."

"Oh, maybe they'll be married!" Mary Reid said excitedly. At her words, Katherine began to stir. Before any of the parents could get to her, however, baby Darcy cooed and extended a balled fist in her direction.

"Oh my goodness," Millicent said, overwhelmed. "They are just too cute." 

"I'll be sure to tell the story at their wedding," Mary laughed, and the others joined her.

+

Darcy toddled as best as his legs would take them across the room to where Katherine was coloring across the room. When he finally made it to her, he dropped the flower he had been holding into her lap. Katherine eagerly scooped it up and immediately began adding it to her drawing.

Darcy's mother squealed and clapped her hands together wildly. Darcy ignored his mother's cooing and picked up a crayon to add his own drawings to Katherine's picture.

+

"Darcy and Katherine, sitting in a tree," Darcy's classmates sang at him. Darcy's cheeks flushed. What was so wrong about grabbing his friend's hand? "K-I-S-S-I-N-G." Darcy still didn't fully grasp what they were saying about him, but he did know that he hated having all those eyes on him. 

"You're being a bully," Bill said, stepping in front of them. "C'mon, guys." Bill grabbed Darcy's free hand and dragged the two of them away to hide under the playground's slides. 

"Don't worry about them," said Bill, getting comfortable on the ground. "They're just being stupid."

"They don't bother me!" Katherine declared. 

Darcy's head spun. His heart still threatened to beat right out of his chest. "Yeah," he said. "Me neither."

+

"Katherine?" Darcy called. "I'm coming in!"

Darcy tried not to think about what people would say if they saw him in the girl's restroom as he knocked on the stall door. "Kathy?"

The door unlocked and swung open to reveal a sobbing Katherine with mascara all down her cheeks. Darcy wordlessly sat down and extended an arm for Katherine to fall into.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Katherine sniffled. "Just sit here with me."

And so they did, sitting in silence until there were no more tears to fall. 

+

"The whole dance was overrated."

"Yeah," Darcy said, watching Katherine's bare feet hop over the cracks in the sidewalk. She held her uncomfortable looking shoes in her hands and held no regard for any possible foot injury. "And everyone else was a couple. I mean, other than us."

"Yeah! It's like everyone got to high school and found a boyfriend like their lives depended on it."

"Or a girlfriend," Darcy agreed. "That's all the boys in my classes care about. Bill's the only other one who doesn't care as much." 

Darcy switched his gaze to his own feet. 

"Something wrong?" Katherine asked, glancing him over. 

"No!" he said defensively. "It's just... I feel like I'm behind sometimes. Like I should have a girlfriend already or I'm missing out."

Katherine kicked a pebble with her big toe. "You know our parents expect us to get married." 

"Believe me, I know." After all, it was his parents' favorite topic to discuss whenever he came back from the Pulitzer household. 

Katherine stopped walking and grabbed Darcy by the arm. "I'm gonna try something," she explained, "and you tell me what you think."

Before Darcy could react, Katherine had placed a hand to both sides of her face and was kissing him. And sure, her lips were soft and the element of surprise sent his heart racing, but it wasn't anywhere near the pleasant butterflies his family assumed he had. 

"Well?" Katherine asked, pulling away.

"I... I don't... I mean I didn't..."

"Feel anything?" Katherine signals for them to keep walking. "Yeah, me neither. I guess our parents are just crazy." She chuckled softly. "Do you wanna go get some food to bring to Bill?"

And despite it all, Darcy's heart sinks a little bit closer into place and the thought of the two of them presenting Bill, sick in bed, with a meal, and the aftermath of sitting on his floor and watching tv. "I'd love that."

+

"Smile for the camera!"

Darcy pulled Katherine in closer and flashed a smile towards the camera. The photographer, a girlfriend of one of Katherine's friends, held her heart and sighed.

"That's one to show your kids," she exclaimed. "You can tell them all about how in love you were at prom."

"We're actually just friends," Katherine explained coolly. "And going as a group. Bill!" She waved Bill over for a full picture.

Bill came running over and hit them full force, wrapping his arms tightly around them both and laughing. And that, Darcy thought, is the picture he would show his children. 

+

"Incoming!" Jack yelled, and flung a mozzarella stick at Racetrack's face. The stick missed, bounced off his forehead and landed in Romeo's lap, who scoped it up and ate it. Bill laughed until he choked on his drink and then they were laughing at Bill. Darcy was overjoyed; he was finally free to relax a little. 

Darcy's phone buzzed violently in his pocket.

Maybe relaxation was over. 

__

_[Mom]: Hi honey! How's college?_

_[Mom]: We're so excited to see you soon! Bringing any girls with you?_

_[Mom]: Speaking of which, how's Katherine?_

_[Mom]: Call me when you get these._

Darcy jammed his phone back into his pocket and got up to leave. "Sorry guys. Don't feel good. I'll be heading out."

"Bye Darcy!"

"Feel better!" 

He scurried away at top speed and has just made it to his car when Katherine ran up behind him. "Hey!"

"Hey?"

"Take me with you," she panted. "I'm getting in."

"I'm not feeling well," Darcy said, starting the car. 

"I know. That's why I'm here," she said, matter of fact. "What'd they say? I saw you got a text."

He gestured to his phone. "Read it." 

Katherine furrowed her eyebrows as she read the texts, and then set it aside in disgust. "When will they take a hint?"

"I wish I knew." He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. "God, Kath, I can't... I can't live up to their expectations. I can't keep this up."

"I know."

"They want me to bring a girl home, or you," Katherine nods understandingly, "but I can't just do that, I'm not..." He inhaled deeply. "I'm gay, Katherine. And maybe they'll know that one day but..."

"Darcy." Katherine placed a hand on his forearm. "You don't have to tell them. But if you do they aren't going to love you any less. And these guys," she jabbed a thumb in the direction of the restaurant, "aren't going to think any less of you, either. But you don't have to."

Darcy discreetly wiped at his eyes, though he knew Katherine was watching him. "Thank you."

"Of course." She smiled the same sweet smile that he had grown up with. "You're my Darcy. But you're yourself."

And there was Darcy, letting out tears he hadn't realized how tightly he was hanging onto. 

"Pull over," Katherine said. "I'll drive for you."

**Author's Note:**

> comment, kudos, and talk to me on tumblr @conlonspots !


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